Device for reproducing sounds in toys

ABSTRACT

A sound-producing tape is wound on a reel having a spring-driven rewind. As the tape is pulled from the reel past a sound reproducer and a pivoted finger, the finger is pivoted due to its frictional engagement with the tape allowing the tape to inoperatively pass the sound reproducer. Upon release, the tape is automatically rewound onto the reel and is brought into operative association with the sound reproducer by the pivoted finger so that sounds are reproduced only during the rewinding operation.

United States Patent [72] Inventors EdwinO.Stastny Santa Ana; Lester T.Stormon, Redondo Beach; Anson Sims, Manhattan Beach, Calif. [21 Appl.No. 873,742 [22] Filed Nov. 26, 1969 [45] Patented May 25, 1971 [73]Assignee Mattel, Inc.

Hawthorne, Calif.

Continuation of application Ser. No. 716,543, Mar. 27, 1968, nowabandoned.

[54] DEVICE FOR REPRODUCING SOUNDS IN TOYS 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 274/1A, 46/118,274/11R [51] lnt.Cl Gllb3/00 [50] Field ofSearch 274/1 1, 4, 11 (E), 11.12, 1.1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,287,377 6/1942 Gallier274/11 2,546,680 3/1951 Samuals' 274/11X 2,560,254 7/1951 Shickcl274/11(E)X 3,450,239 6/1969 Ryan 274/1 (.1 )X 3,466,050 9/1969Sindlinger 274/1 .1 3,220,143 11/1965 Van Den Hurk 274/1.1

3,285,612 11/1966 Hallamore 274/4 3,410,564 1 1/1968 Duncan et a1274/1.1 2,546,680 3/1951 Samuals 33/211 FOREIGN PATENTS 477,736 1938Great Britain 274/1 1E Primary Examinerbeonard Forman AssistantExaminerDennis A. Dearing Att0rney-Seymour A. Scholnick ABSTRACT: Asound-producing tape is wound on a reel having a spring-driven rewind.As the tape is pulled from the reel past a sound reproducer and apivoted finger, the finger is pivoted due to its frictional engagementwith the tape allowing the tape to inoperatively pass the soundreproducer. Upon release, the tape is automatically rewound onto thereel and is brought into operative 'association with the soundreproducer' by the pivoted finger so that sounds are reproduced onlyduring the rewinding operation.

PATENTEU W25 Ian 3580.585

SHEET 1 BF 2 yzrrwmw;

DEVICE FOR REPRODUCING SOUNDS IN TOYS This is a continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 716,543 filed Mar. 27, 1968, and now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The background of the invention will be setforth in two arts.

1 Field of the Invention The present invention pertains generally to thefield of devices for reproducing recorded sounds in toys and moreparticularly to such a device having information recorded on a tapewound on a reel having a spring-driven rewind and including means forreproducing the recorded information during rewinding of the tape ontothe reel.

2. Description of the Prior Art Devices are known wherein asound-producing tape is wound on a reel having a spring-driven rewind.The information recorded on the tape may be reproduced by pulling thetape from the reel past a sound reproducer.

One disadvantage with such devices resides in the fact that faithfulreproduction of the recorded information is rather difficult to obtainbecause of the lack of control of the speed at which the tape iswithdrawn from the reel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing factors and conditionscharacteristic of devices for reproducing recorded sounds in toys, it isa primary object of the present invention to provide a new improveddevice of this type not subject to the disadvantage enumerated above andincluding means for reproducing information recorded on asound-producing tape during the rewinding thereof onto a reel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of thetype described including governor means for controlling the rewindingspeed of a sound-producing tape on a reel.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of thetype described which includes a sound-producing tape having meansprovided thereon for actuating an animating means in a figure toy at theend of the playing of the recorded information.

According to the present invention a simple, inexpensive sound-producingtoy of the type having sound-reproducing means, a sound-producing tapewound on a reel and spring means connected to the reel for rewinding thetape onto the reel when the tape is released after first being pulledfrom the reel includes the improvement of means connected to thesound-reproducing means for bringing the tape into operative associationor playing engagement with the sound-reproducing means only duringrewinding of the tape onto the reel. Governor means are connected to thereel for controlling the rate at which the tape is rewound onto thereel.

The housing for the reel and the sound-reproducing means is shown hereinfor purposes of illustration but not of limitation, as comprising ahousing for a jack-in-the-box which is actuated automatically at the endof the playing of the tape by the engagement of a pull knob on the tapewith latch means which releases the lid on the housing.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the claims. The present invention bothas to its organization and manner of operation, together with furtherobjects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference tothe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, which like reference characters refer to like elements in theseveral views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of adevice for reproducing recorded sound in toys constituting a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2of FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3of FIG. 2

FIG. 4 is a partial, cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG.2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, partial perspective view of a soundproducing tapeused in the device of FIG. I; 7

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a partial, cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2, but showinga device constituting a second embodiment of the present invention.

The various arrows in the drawings indicate the direction of motion ofthe surfaces or elements near which they are placed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring again to thedrawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 4, a device constitutinga first embodiment of the present invention, generally designated 10,includes a soundreproducing means 12 into operative association withwhich a sound-producing tape 14 is automatically brought during therewinding thereof onto a reel 16 by a spring means 18 after tape 14 hasfirst been pulled therefrom by a pull knob 20.

The device 10 also includes finger means 22 which brings tape 14 intooperative association with the sound-reproducing means 12 only duringrewinding of tape 14 onto reel I6 so that tape 14 actuatessound-reproducing means 12 only during rewinding of tape I4 onto reel16. The rate of travel of tape 14 during this rewinding operationaffects the quality of sound produced by tape 14 and sound-reproducingmeans 12. This rate of travel may be controlled, for the most part, byselecting a spring 18 of the constant-force type. If finer control isdesired, a governor means 24 may be employed.

Spring means 18 is shown herein for purpose of illustration, but not oflimitation, as comprising a constant-force spring 26 normally biased towind itself on a takeup drum means 28 rotatably mounted in a housing 30on an axle 32 having a first end 34 journaled in a first horizontalpartition 36 provided in housing 30 and a second end 38 journaled in asecond partition 40 provided in housing 30. A pair of spacers 42, 44maintain drum means 28 in position between partitions 36 and 40. Spring26 includes an end 46 affixed to a power drum 48 by a pair of fasteningmeans 50 in such a manner that spring 26 will be wound into power drum48 against the normal bias in spring 26 when tape 14 is pulled in thedirection of arrow 52 (FIG. 2) to unwind it from reel 16. This storesenergy in spring 26 so that, when tape 14 is released, this storedenergy rotates drum 48 transferring spring 26 back to drum means 28 andrewinding tape 14 on reel 16. Power drum means 48 is rotatably mountedin housing 30 by an axle 54 having a first end 56 journaled in partition36 and a second end 58 joumaled in partition 40. A spacer 60 and a beltpulley 62 maintain power drum means 48 in a proper position betweenpartitions 36 and 40.

Governor 24 may be one of the well-known types employed in toyphonographs, such as the one shown in US. Pat. No. 3,245,688 and isrotatably mounted in a governor housing 64 by a shaft 66 journaled in abearing 68 provided in partition 40. Shaft 66 includes an end 72 whichcarries a belt pulley about which a belt 74 is trained. Belt 74 is alsotrained about pulley 62, which, in turn, is formed integrally with reel16 and power drum means 48 so that governor 24 will control the speed ofdrum 16 during the transfer of spring 26 back to drum means 28 frompower drum means 48. This rewinds tape 14 on reel 16 at a proper speedfor satisfactory reproduction of the information recorded on tape 14.This reproduction is accomplished by bringing tape 14 into operativeassociation with sound-reproducing means 12 during this rewindingoperation which moves tape 14 in the direction of arrow 76. Tape I4 isbrought into operative association with soundreproducing means I2 byfinger means 22 which is swingably mounted in housing 30 on a pivot pin78 carried by a bracket 80. A spring 82 has a first end 84 affixed tofinger means 22 and a second end 86 affixed to partition 40 for pullingfinger means 22 in the direction of arrow 76 forcing tape 14 intoengagement with the apex portion 88 of a speaker cone 90 forming part ofsound-reproducing means 12. Speaker cone 90 may be made from suitableplastic materials well known to those skilled in the art and apex 88 maybe formed by a wedgeshaped piece of a suitable acetal resin derived bythe polymerization of formaldehyde. Apex 88 is biased toward fingermeans 22 by a compression spring 92 having a first end 94 bearingagainst a bridge 96 extending across an aperture 98 in which speakercone 90 is mounted. When tape 14 is pulled in the direction of arrow 52,finger means 22 is drawn in the direction of arrow 52 releasing tape 14from operative association with apex 88 so that sound is not producedduring the unwinding of tape 14 from reel 16.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a suitable stopmeans, not shown, will be needed to limit swinging movement of fingermeans 22 in the direction of arrow 76 to about the position shown inFIG. 2.

Tape 14 is a strip of suitable material, preferably a plastic havingsufficient strength to withstand repeated pulling thereof to transferspring 26 from takeup drum means 28 to power drum means 48 and isprovided with a plurality of transverse ridges or indentations 1110.These are a form of hilland-dale recording, but with the lines extendingentirely across the width of tape 14, instead of being merely in a thingroove for cooperation with a stylus. Scored tapes of this type areknown from U .S. Pat. Nos. 2,042,736 and 2,l64,663. It will, of course,be apparent to those skilled in the art, that a thin groove and stylusmay be used in place of the transverse ridges and the apex 88.Additionally, a plurality of recorded messages maybe provided on tape 14although only a single recording is shown herein for purposes ofillustration, but not of limitation. Tape 14 includes an end 102 whichmay be affixed to reel 16 by a suitable fastening means 104.

Referring now more in particular to FIGS. 1 and 3, housing 30 includesan open end 106 which may be closed by a lid 108 swingably connected tohousing 30 by a suitable hinge means (not shown). A figure toy 110 maybe mounted in housing 30 on partition 36 and may be animated by asuitable spring 112 which moves figure toy 110 to the position shown inFIG. 1 when lid 108 is released. Lid 108 is normally maintained in aclosed position by a latch member 114 having a hooked end 116 engageablewith a bracket 118 depending from lid 108. Latch 114 is swingablymounted in housing 30 by a pivot pin 119 carried by a bracket 120affixed to an end wall 122. Latch 1 14 is normally biased to theposition shown in FIG. 3 by a leaf spring 124 and may be swung in thedirection of arrow 126 to release lid 108 by the engagement of knob 20with an extension 128 on latch 114 at the end of play of tape 14. Uponthe release oflid 108, spring 112 forces figure toy 110 to its FIG. 1position causing lid 108 to pop open.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a device for reproducing recorded sounds intoys constituting a second embodiment of the invention, generallydesignated a, may be identical to the device 10 except that speaker 90is replaced by a speaker 96a having an apex 88a provided with anaperture 130 through which tape 14 passes in operative association witha finger means 22a mounted in aperture 130 and biased in the directionof arrow 132 by a spring 82a having a first end 84a connected to fingermeans 22a and a second end 86a connected to partition 40. Tape 14 may beunwound from reel 16 moving finger means 22a in the direction of arrow134 so that tape 14 does not become operatively associated with apex 88awhile spring 26 is transferred from takeup drum means 28 to power drummeans 48.

The speed of tape 14 during its travel in the direction of arrow 132 maybe controlled by the governor 24. During travel of tape 14 in thedirection of arrow 132, spring 82a brings finger 22a into engagementwith tape 14 forcing it into operative association with apex 88a therebycausing speaker a to reproduce the sounds recorded on tape 14.

While the particular devices for reproducing recorded sounds in toysherein shown and described in detail are fully capable of attaining theobjects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to beunderstood that they are merely illustrative of the presently preferredembodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to thedetails of construction or design herein shown.

We claim:

1. In a sound-reproducing apparatus suitable for use in toys including:

drum means;

elongated sound track carrier means attached to said drum means; springmeans connected to said drum means for rotating said drum means in adirection to normally wind said sound track carrier means onto said drummeans;

governor means for controlling the speed of rotation of said drum means;

said sound track carrier means having a free end adapted to be pulled tounwind said sound track carrier means from said drum means while addingenergy to said spring means; and

sound-reproducing means for reproducing sounds recorded on said soundtrack carrier means, the improvement comprising:

pivoted means frictionally engaging said carrier means for holding saidcarrier means against said sound-reproducing means only during windingof said sound track carrier means onto said drum means by said springmeans and being responsive to movement of said carrier means when beingunwound from said drum means to swing away from said reproducing means.

2. An improvement as stated in claim 1 wherein said soundreproducingmeans includes a speaker cone having a wedged shaped apex, wherein saidsound track carrier means has ridges engageable with said apex andwherein said pivoted means comprises a finger means swingably mountedadjacent said apex for forcing said sound track carrier means intoengagement therewith.

3. An improvement as stated in claim 1 wherein said soundreproducingmeans includes a speaker cone having an aperture provided in its apex,wherein said sound track carrier means has ridges engageable with anedge of said aperture and wherein said pivoted means comprises fingermeans swingably mounted in said aperture for forcing said sound trackcarrier means into engagement with said edge.

1. In a sound-reproducing apparatus suitable for use in toys including:drum means; elongated sound track carrier means attached to said drummeans; spring means connected to said drum means for rotating said drummeans in a direction to normally wind said sound track carrier meansonto said drum means; governor means for controlling the speed ofrotation of said drum means; said sound track carrier means having afree end adapted to be pulled to unwind said sound track carrier meansfrom said drum means while adding energy to said spring means; andsound-reproducing means for reproducing sounds recorded on said soundtrack carrier means, the improvement comprising: pivoted meansfrictionally engaging said carrier means for holding said carrier meansagainst said sound-reproducing means only during winding of said soundtrack carrier means onto said drum means by said spring means and beingresponsive to movement of said carrier means when being unwound fromsaid drum means to swing away from said reproducing means.
 2. Animprovement as stated in claim 1 wherein said sound-reproducing meansincludes a speaker cone having a wedged shaped apex, wherein said soundtrack carrier means has ridges engageable with said apex and whereinsaid pivoted means comprises a finger means swingably mounted adjacentsaid apex for forcing said sound track carrier means into engagementtherewith.
 3. An improvement as stated in claim 1 wherein saidsound-reproducing means includes a speaker cone having an apertureprovided in its apex, wherein said sound track carrier means has ridgesengageable with an edge of said aperture and wherein said pivoted meanscomprises finger means swingably mounted in said aperture for forcingsaid sound track carrier means into engagement with said edge.